IEEE PES Douglas M. Staszesky Distribution Automation Award

Purpose: To recognize those in the industry who have made a significant contribution to making the automation of electric utility distribution systems a practical reality. Doug Staszesky worked with a great deal of energy and passion to bring new technologies and new concepts to the field of distribution automation and to promote the value of investments in such systems to electric utility decision makers. This award is established to recognize people in the industry that have displayed that same energy and passion to the field of distribution automation and who have demonstrated success in the implementation of systems that provide real benefits for electric utilities and their customers.

Administration: This award shall be administered by the IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES). The funds will be placed and managed in an IEEE Foundation Inc endowment.

Form of Recognition: The form of recognition is a $2000 scholarship to the engineering school of the recipient’s choice, plaque, and a travel stipend of up to $1500 to attend the presentation ceremony. If sustainable funds become available, the IEEE PES Douglas M. Staszesky Distribution Automation Award Committee is empowered to create an honorarium for the recipient and / or increase the scholarship award.

Funds: Initial funding of $70,000 will be provided solely by S&C Electric Company. This is an amount that is intended to produce enough revenue to fund the basic award on an annual basis for perpetuity. Additional funding may come from individual voluntary contributions made directly to this IEEE Foundation fund. No funds will be required from PES.

Frequency and Presentation: The award may be presented annually at a regularly scheduled PES meeting of the recipient’s choice. The PES General Meeting Awards Ceremony is the highest profile event and would generally be preferred. To ensure that the award is presented to appropriately qualified recipients and to maintain the prestigious nature of the award, it may not be presented every year. The presentation of the award shall be preferably made by the PES President.

Eligibility: Recipient must be an IEEE PES member in good standing. Anyone involved at any stage of the recipient selection or approval process may not be a candidate, or nominate or write reference letters for candidates for this award. Eligibility and selection process shall comply with procedures and regulations established in IEEE and Society governing documents, particular with IEEE Policy 4.4 on Awards Limitations.

b Basis for Judging: Selection will be based on evaluation of accomplishments as revealed by documented testimonials from industry members. Recipients may be electric utility practitioners, consulting engineers, design engineers or application experts at a manufacturer, or educators. Emphasis will be on the creation of practical solutions that produce real improvement in terms of distribution system automation, resulting in improved reliability and more efficient operation to the benefit of an electric utility and its customers. It is possible for collaborators to receive the award jointly in which case the monetary portions of the award will be divided among the recipients. A Committee majority vote will determine the recipient.

Award Committee: The IEEE PES Douglas M. Staszesky Distribution Automation Award Committee shall consist of at least four members including a chair. All members of the committee shall be PES members in good standing. The chair shall be appointed by the PES Vice-President responsible for the Awards and Recognition Operating Committee and shall serve no longer than 3 years; the remaining members shall be selected by the chair, subject to the approval of the PES Vice-President. For the first ten years that the award exists, one member of the committee shall be appointed by S&C Electric Company, the sponsor of this award, to ensure that the recipients embody the traits and characteristics that Doug Staszesky brought to his work. S&C shall make the appointment on an annual basis. Other than the S&C-appointed member, members shall be appointed to three-year terms, and no Committee member shall serve for more than three terms.

Schedule: The selection committee shall submit the results of its evaluation to the IEEE PES Awards & Recognition Department for review and evaluation. If the PES Awards & Recognition Department concurs with the recommendation of the IEEE PES Douglas M. Staszesky Distribution Automation Award Committee, it shall present the recommendation to the PES Executive Committee during the Spring meeting for final PES approval.

Citation: The citation may be proposed by the person originating the nomination. It will be reviewed and modified as appropriate by the IEEE PES Douglas M. Staszesky Distribution Automation Award Committee. The IEEE PES Awards and Recognition Committee shall make the final decision on the wording of the citation.

IMPORTANT: Nomination forms must be written in English. One per year. If no suitable candidate is proposed in a given year, the award will not be presented for that year.

PES, being one of IEEE’s Organizational Units, follows IEEE Policy 4.4H.IEEE Policy 4.4.H • Eligibility and Process Limitations. Individuals serving on any board or committee involved at any stage of the recipient selection or approval process for an award shall be ineligible to receive, or act as a nominator or reference for that award. This conflict of interest limitation shall apply to all awards given by the IEEE or any of its organizational units.

IEEE Power and Energy SocietyThe mission of IEEE Power & Energy Society is to be the leading provider of scientific and engineering information on electric power and energy for the betterment of society, and preferred professional development source of its members.